Blast-charger.



No. 805,089. 'PATBNTED Nov. 21, 1905.

y E. H. MORRIS.l

y BLAST CHARGBEf APPLIGATION I'ILED JUNE 17, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT y OFFICE.

BLAST-CHARGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed June 17, 19'05. Serial No. 265,768.

To all wiz/07W it 71100;/ concern:

Be it hnown that I, ERNEST H. NORRIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Blast-Chargers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention :relates to mining, and has for its object to produce ablast-charger which may be conveniently filled with blasting-powder,then pushed into the blast-hole, carrying the charge to the limit of thehole, and finally withdrawn, leaving the charge in a compact mass at theinner end of the hole.

The invention comprises a shell or charger, a plunger adapted totraverse it from end to end, a hinged handle attached to the plunger,and a hinged rod connecting with the chargershell and by means of whichit is moved endwise with respect to the plunger.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view ofA my improvedcharger in the act of depositing a charge in a blast-hole. Fig. 2 is afragmentary side view of the same, extended and in position to fold forconvenience in filling the charger. Fig. 3 is a similar view, partlysectional, showing the device in filling position.

In mining it is common to deposit the powder for the blast in theblast-hole by means of a charger, a cylindrical flash or shell to holdpowder, and attached to a handle long enough to carry it to the innerend of the hole. It is not new to joint the flash to the handle so thatit may be turned to a vertical position and be convenient for the minerto fill; but hitherto, so far as I am aware, no way has been providedfor using a jointed plunger in the fiash and means for positivelystripping the fiash bach and forth over said plunger, whereby the chargeis left compactly heaped at the inner end of the blast-hole. This it isthe purpose of this invention to secure and by means which will now bedescribed.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a blast-hole, at the inner endof which it is desired to deposit a charge of powder B. For this purposea cylindrical receptacle C, which for convenience may be called theflash of the charger, is provided to tahe the charge of powder. This, aswell as all other parts of the device that may come'in contact withroch, should be of material that will not strihe a sparh, such as zinc,copper, brass, or the like. In practice this is a tube of zinc, to oneopen end of which is fitted a ring D, of brass. To

' this ring is attached a jointed rod E, by which the flash may bepushed forward or pulled bach at will.

Inside the tube or fiash is a plunger F, adapted to slide freelytherein. In practice this is made of wood, but is rimmed with zinc G toprevent its swelling and stiching in the dampness of a mine. Thisplunger is secured, as by a screw H, to one end of a short section ofhandle I, jointed by a hinge J to the long section of handle K. Thisallows the flash to be turned upright, as shown in Fig. 3, forconvenience in filling. The handleiis made of wood; but for some littledistance each side of the hinge it is incased in sheet-zinc L to mahe asmooth and uniform cylinder for a sleeve M, which may be slid over thejoint when the handle is straightened, and so hold it rigidly in thatposition. At one side of the handle screw-eyes N are inserted, and theseserve as guides for the rod E. When the flash is pushed to the eXtremeouter position, the plunger abuts against the end ring and the joints of the rod and thehandle are then in line, as shown in Fig. Q, so thatthe flash may be turned up, as above mentioned.

In the operation of the device the miner turns it to the position shownin Fig. 3 and fills the flash. He then lifts it to the blasthole andinserts the end of it therein. Bringing the handle then to astraightened position, with one hand he grasps both the handle and theadjacent rod and with the other he slips the sleeve over the joint, andthus mah'es the handle rigid. He then pushes the charge bach as far asit will go, and, finally, holding only the handle with one hand, hepulls bach the rod with the other, which strips the flash off thecharge, leaving it, still held by the plunger, compactly massed at theinner end of the hole. The last operation is of course to withdraw thecharger, when the same is ready for another charge by slipping bach thesleeve.

It will be noted that when in position to push the charge bach into theblast-hole the rod, though jointed, is practically as rigid as thehandle, and both being grasped by the hands of the miner the liashcannot slip bach over the plunger until he is ready to do so, as abovestated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a blast-charger, the combinationof a powder-holding tube or flash,a jointed rod IOO IIO

attached thereto, a jointed handle, and a plunger attached thereto andadapted to slide in said flask.

2. In a blast-charger, the combination of a powder flask or tube, aplunger to slide therein, a stop to limit the movement thereof, ajointed handle attached thereto, and a jointed rod attached to the ask.

3. In a blast-charger, the combination of a powder-flask, a plunger toslide therein, a jointed handle attached thereto, a jointed rod attachedto the flask, guides on the handle for said rod, andY a stop to limitthe movement of the plunger and bring the joints of the handle and rodinto alinement.

4. In a blast-charger, the combination of a powder-flask, means formoving the same back and forth with respect to an internal plunger, ajointed handle, a plunger attached thereto,

and a sliding sleeve to Slip over the joint and make the handle rigid.

5. In a blast-charger, the herein-described handle, comprising twosections, a connecting-hinge, metal casings adjacent to the hinge, and ametal sleeve to slide on said casings.

6. In a blast-charger, the combination with a suitable powder-flask andhandle, of a plunger of wood, somewhat smaller than the inside of theflask, and an external ring for said plunger, formed of metal,substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST H. NORRIS.

Witnesses:

W. K. TAYLOR, J. M. ST. JOHN.

